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Recommendations

General recommendations

When storing your Hermès timepiece, it should ideally be kept in the box received at the time of purchase or in a case designed for the purpose, such as a watch winding box (for automatic mechanical watches only). If you own several timepieces, avoid direct contact between them in order to prevent aesthetic damage. Keep your Hermès timepiece in a well-ventilated place away from moisture and heat. It is strongly advised to avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight or bright lighting as UV rays from sun light can produce changes in colour to the dial, to the hands and the strap.

Regular maintenance of the movement

As with all precision instruments, the movement of your Hermès timepiece must be regularly inspected and maintained in order for it to perform at its optimum level. Mechanical models should be serviced every three (3) years and quartz models should be serviced every five (5) years.

Recommendations for Quartz models

Even when you don’t use your Hermès timepiece with a quartz movement, the battery is still powering the mechanism. If a battery is left in the movement once it is empty, the acidic electrolyte inside the battery could eat through the battery seals and leak into the movement causing damage. It is important, therefore, to adhere to the servicing deadlines detailed above.

Preserving water resistance

The water resistance of your Hermès timepiece has to be tested and re-established when necessary in accordance with the Hermès factory standards for your model. Water resistance depends on the hermetically sealed assembly of the case, the glass and the winding-crown, as well as on the maintenance of numerous joints or gaskets. We recommend that the seals on your Hermès timepiece are tested annually if it is designed for and used in water. If your Hermès timepiece is immersed in sea water it should be rinsed with fresh water after use and dried

Magnetism

There are an increasing number of magnetic fields present in our environment. These can cause inconsistent timekeeping and the movement of your Hermès timepiece to come to a complete stop. This would then require the intervention of a watchmaker in order to demagnetise it and all of its components. Never expose your Hermès timepiece to a strong magnetic field (e.g.: medical MRI, microwave oven) and avoid exposing it within 10 cm of smaller intense fields (e.g.: mobile phone, magnetic bag or bracelet clasps, refrigerators, electronic devices).

Physical shock

A sudden strong shock caused by the practice of sports such as golf or an accidental fall to the floor or blow to the case may not only damage the exterior appearance of your Hermès timepiece but also cause damage to its mechanism.There are parts within the mechanism which are less than a 10th of a millimetre in diameter. Damage to these parts may not be apparent from an external examination of the timepiece but they can be critical to its performance.

Thermal shock

The optimal temperature range for your Hermès timepiece is between 0 to 50 °C (32 to 122 °F).– Prolonged exposure to temperatures below 0 °C (32 °F) can cause a deviation in the performance (usually a loss of time).– Prolonged exposure to temperatures above 50 °C (122 °F) can also cause alterations to the timekeeping and should therefore be avoided.

The patina of leather

Since Hermès wishes to preserve the authenticity and unique feel of its leather straps, the hides used have been given the most natural possible treatment. This means the straps are not excessively protected and thus acquire a regular patina over time which represents one of the distinctive aesthetic characteristics of Hermès leather products.

This extreme respect for quality makes the straps more sensitive to water and to surrounding humidity. Wearing a Hermès timepiece fitted with a leather strap for sport activities is not advisable. Instead, we recommend wearing a metal bracelet or a rubber strap.